


Her Slytherin Heir

by yourfavouritewh0re



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter RPF, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Actor Timothée Chalamet, Angst, Childhood Trauma, Dysfunctional Family, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Issues, Fluff and Angst, Gay Sirius Black, Inspired by Poetry, Poetic, Poetry, References to Shakespeare, Regulus Black Deserves Better, Regulus Black Lives, Secret Relationship, Shakespeare Quotations, Young Regulus Black
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:21:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29722005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourfavouritewh0re/pseuds/yourfavouritewh0re
Summary: Norah Lumière is a 16 year old exchange student from Ilvermorny who's gonna fallfor the Slytherin heir. But can it end well?"The problem is" he said looking at her lips, "if I kissed you, I don't think I'd be able to stop.""Then don't sto-"
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Regulus Black & Original Character(s), Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [everyone whose heart is broken because regulus deserved so much better](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=everyone+whose+heart+is+broken+because+regulus+deserved+so+much+better).



{This is my first story and I only started to write this because it's New Year's Eve and I need something to pour my trauma and sadness into}  
The story is obliviously set in the Marauders era (the years here are 1976-1978) but I probably gonna include things music,books etc. that didn't exist in that time so don't judge.  
The characters besides Norah Lumière and Arabella Goodwin aren't mine, however it's my interpretation of the characters. So jkr don't sue me (f her by the way)

I'm gonna write about triggering topics but you gonna get the tw before each chapter.

Now enjoy the story,  
that i have written with my heart.  
-c.w


	2. -

"This is a work that people would call fiction.  
But given an infinite numbers of possible words, there must be a a little bit true then.  
And given the infinite numbers of universes that possibly exist then it must have happened in of them.  
So maybe, just maybe it isn't as fictional as people think."  
\- c.w


	3. Compartments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Female oc meets her new friends   
>  {tw! Intrusive thoughts}

Somewhere on the hogwarts express in 1976

"Great," Norah thought trying to find an empty   
compartment on the Hogwarts express. 

"I haven't even arrived at the school and already managed to look like an idiot, people are probably already talking about me."

"Please shut up!" she whispered to herself, desperately trying to not let her inner voice ruin everything. 

Although she was right, people were already talking about her but not because she couldn't find herself a compartment. 

Students were talking about her because she was a sixteen year old new girl, who happens to also come from America, Ilvermorny.

She wasn't mad for moving to London or having to change to Hogwarts, it wouldn't make that big of a difference. 

Her family would still be the same. 

She would still be herself. 

You may ask yourself if she didn't have any friends in Ilvermorny she would miss and yes even if she had a few people that you could consider friends, none of them really cared and neither did she.

Norah had silky middle length brown hair and hazel eyes.   
She was a quiet girl, always deep in her thoughts, trying to stay away from trouble as far as she could.  
She also tends to get anxious way too easily.

"It's gonna be okay, I'm away from dad now-" before she could end that thought she bumped into something, a boy. 

"Oh, I'm sorry didn't see you there. You're the new girl right?" the handsome young man asked confidently, while helping her to pick up the books that fell onto the burgundy floor during the bump. 

Norah tried to be cool and hide the fact the she had to fight the mean voice in her head yet again.

"Yeah, I am Norah, Norah Lumière and you are?" she replied way too fast, failing at the attempt to stay calm. 

The Boy recognized her hands nervously twirling around her golden bracelet so he tried to comfort her. 

"Sirius Black. I suppose you're searching for an compartment, you can join me and my friends if you like?" he asked, with a flirty grin on his face. 

"Uhm, yeah sure I would love to." Norah replied, this time sounding a little bit more confident.   
Sirius handed her the books and led her to the compartment. 

He opened the door but his three friends didn't seem to notice:   
"No, I swear this Year Lily is gonna go the ball with me!" proudly announced a boy with light brown hair and glasses.

"Stop dreaming Potter! She already told you like a million times to bugger off!" responded a slim boy with brown messy hair and a scar across his face.

"Yeah, Moony is right she doesn't seem to be interested in you it's time to move on mate." said compared to the other boys, a rather small skinny boy with blonde hair. 

Before the now angry boy with glasses could answer any of their comments, Sirius interrupted them with a fake cough :  
"Uh-uh-uhm boys this the new girl from ilvermorny, Norah Lumière."   
he turned his head to Norah before he confidently continued :  
"Norah this is James Potter, Remus Lupin, we call him Moony and our little Peter Pettigrew!" 

"Hey!" the blonde boy replied, quickly and annoyed. Sirius sat down and pointed to the seat next to him indicating for Norah to sit down, so that's what she did. 

"So you're from Ilvermorny right? That's so cool. What house were you in and in which house do you think you're gonna be in Hogwarts?"   
the boy with glasses asked with an enthusiastic tone in his voice. 

"Yes, I am and I was a Pukwudgie and from what I know about the Hogwarts houses I think I'm gonna be sorted into Hufflepuff, even though both of my parents were in Slytherin." the new girl quickly responded.

The flirty facial expression from Sirius seemed to be now replaced by what looked liked deeply rooted anger to Norah. 

Before she could asked why, she already got cut off by Remus: "He doesn't really like Slytherins. He thinks that every single one of em' are bad people. Dark wizards and stuff." 

"Doesn't really like?" Sirius chuckled, his facial expression changing into a amused one.   
"I bloody hate them! Name one Slytherin who isn't a slimy git? Just look at my dearest brother Regulus. But enough of the negative energy now! Norah you seem like a kind girl I'm sure you're gonna get into Hufflepuff." 

Norah smiled politely and let James basically explain the whole history of each "Marauder". That's how they call themselves. 

Sirius lives with the Potters now which seemed understandable after what she heard about the Black family. 

Peter Pettigrew is just a shy boy and Moony seemed to also had a rough past. "At least I'm not alone." the new girl thought.

"So, Norah, you never told me how old you are ?" Sirius asked, with a flirty smile on his face.

"That seemed to be his thing." she thought before replying: "15 turning 16 in December."

"Ohhh so you're a 5th year then! Good luck with the O.W.Ls this year!" James said, obviously happy about the fact he doesn't have to deal with them.

"I'm sure she's not only pretty but also a smart little girl and it's not gonna be a problem for her Potter." Sirius had still his the smirk on his face, his brown eyes looking into her hazel ones.

"You're only one year older than me Sirius don't call me little girl." she replied, with the same smirk on her face.

"Good, then it's settled your new nickname is little one!" he announced, laughing proudly. 

Norah laughed but before she could say anything James interrupted : "Enough now Lovebirds, there are other people in your compartment! Let's talk about something different." 

The two of them blushed but laughed it off and quickly changed the subject to other things like how the teachers and students were at Hogwarts.

Norah spend the rest of the train ride reading or chuckling at the silly jokes from the group of boys, not even thinking a bad or intrusive thought. 

Maybe Hogwarts isn't gonna be that bad.


	4. The Big Sorting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Norah gets sorted

"You're gonna be fine little one I promise. The Sorting hat is just gonna quickly announce in which house you're gonna be in, that's it." Sirius said, trying to calm Norah down, who was now pale and obliviously nervous: " I know it's just- I don't know. It's gonna be alright I guess.   
I have to wait here for Mcgonagall, see you later." 

Sirius gave her a reassuring smile and the rest of the Marauders waved her goodbye after wishing her good luck. 

She was now alone again. 

Norah was standing in the big and beautiful Hogwarts corridors, next to the dining hall when a certain boy talking to his friends , who she only could assume must be Regulus, Sirius brother, caught her attention. 

He was about 6'1 tall and had the same dark brown piercing eyes like Sirius, he was wearing the Slytherin robes which colors seemed to make him only look more attractive than he already was.   
If Moony hadn't told her she would've never noticed the one year age gap between them.

He had chocolate brown curly hair, which looked so silky and shiny, it almost seemed unreal to her.

His jawline was sharper than Sirius's, not that his wasn't sharp, "it must be a Black family gene" the new girl assumed. 

Even if his Eyes were the same color as Sirius's, at the second look at them she noticed that they radiated a certain energy, different from Sirius.   
"Cold but also familiar", she thought. 

Before she could continue her dreamy thoughts about the Slytherin boy, Professor Mcgonagall pulled her back into the stressful reality. 

"You, young lady, must be Mrs.Lumière right?" the woman asked, with a welcoming smile on her face. 

"Yes, I am. Pleasure to meet you." the new girl was nervously shaking her hand with a smile.

"I hope you had a pleasant train ride darling. Now, you're gonna be sorted after the 1th grader just take a seat next to me by the teachers table till then." Mcgonagall explained to her.

"Okay, Professor." Norah simply replied, following her to the teachers table and sitting down.

The Dining Hall was filled with laughing and chattering students who were all glad to be back at their second home.   
The Great Hall was truly beautiful, it was lit by thousands of candles that were floating in the air over four long tables. 

The dark blue almost black ceiling was filled with an uncountable amount of stars, the sight of it was truly breathtaking.   
At the top of the hall was the table where Norah sat next to the teachers, nervously waiting for this to be finally over. 

After Dumbledore the headmaster of the school gave his long never seem to ending speech and the 1th grader were sorted, it was finally Norah's turn. 

In moments like this she would completely dissociate, her body moved and she said all those things, but it didn't feel like it was her. 

She sat down and Dumbledore put the hat on her head. The Marauders were smiling and winking at her, reassuring her that everything is fine.   
She just gave them a small nod and an painfully obvious fake smile. 

The Hall was filled with silence till the brown leather hat started speaking : "Oh, I see. You really love to read, we got a smart one here."

"See told ya." whispered Sirius to the rest of the Marauders. 

"Perhaps Ravenclaw, no. Hmm let me see..Slytherin? Nooo you're too kind." 

The hall was now filled with a few sighs from the Slytherin table which plastered Sirius a big smile on his face. 

"You are certainly not a Griffindor..", the hat continued :"Now, yes I got it! Hufflepuff!" 

The Hufflepuff table cheered and clapped as Norah stood up and slowly approached the table. 

A pretty dark skinned girl with mahogany colored eyes and beautiful, defined curls welcomed her with a hug: "Hey, I'm Arabella Goodwin take a seat next to me." 

Norah introduced herself again and talked about how things were at Ilvermorny. 

After dinner Arabella showed her the way to the common room.   
"The password is Helga Hufflepuff, if you get it wrong you will be drenched in vinegar, so be careful." she explained, which made both of them laugh. 

When the door opened Norah was completely speechless.

The Common room was decorated in the cheerful, bee like colors of yellow and black. 

About eight small round windows let the moonlight shine onto the various colorful plants in the room. The room was filled with beautiful honey wooden chairs and desks.

The big and cozy looking couches were decorated with fluffy pillows and patchwork quilts in the house color. Right over the fireplace hung a portrait that showed Helga Hufflepuff, one of the four founders of Hogwarts School, toasting her students with a tiny, two-handled golden cup. 

Norah couldn't help but even notice the little details on the frame, tiny little dancing badgers, carved in it.

"You like it?" Arabella asked, smiling, already knowing the answer to the question.   
"No, I love it!", the new badger girl announced, with a big smile on her face.   
Arabella led her to the right tunnel, which Norah assumed was the way to the girls dormitories. 

After a short walk she opened a round wooden door and showed her friend their room. 

Norah's eyes were shining again like the ones from a little child who opens Christmas presents.

The dorm was glowing in the pale moonlight trough the two big circles windows while two big four-poster beds were filling the room.

The four-poster beds were covered in blankets and pillows with the house crest on them. 

The beds had an owl patch on one side and a nightstand on the other.  
Besides two huge honey wooden closets, there was a wooden table in the centre of the dormitory with a stack of books with an hourglass on top of them, an open book with self writing quill parchments and a plant in a flower pot on it.

"It was truly beautiful, poetic," the girl really loved their room

"The bathroom is right there." Arabella explained, while pointing at the round door in their room.

Norah's school uniforms and clothes were already sorted into the closet so she decided to take a quick shower. 

After that she talked with Ara till midnight.

"This isn't so bad, this isn't bad at all." 

she thought, before finally giving into the urge to finally close her eyes and fall into her sweet dreams.


	5. ~

"two souls are sometimes created together and in love before they're even born."  
-f. scott fitzgerald


	6. First Mornings

Norah woke up with the sun shining onto her face, she took a quick look at the alarm next to her.   
6 am. Classes start in 2 hours. 

"I need to take a shower, get ready and try to at least eat breakfast. Maybe I can even read a little bit in the library before classes start." the new Hufflepuff thought, planning the morning already ahead. 

Arabella was still peacefully sleeping in her bed, she wasn't exactly what you call a morning person. 

Norah made her way as quietly as possible to the bathroom and put after the needed shower her school uniform on. 

A black skirt, a white button shirt with a small badger on it, a black tie, black boots and black knee socks. 

She decided to leave the black robe in her closet, it doesn't seemed that cold and it looked better. 

After brushing her hair and grabbing her small leather bag pack, in which her schedule, the books, feather and quill that she needed for the first schools day were in, she headed to the dining hall. 

The Great hall wasn't as full as yesterday , in fact she was the only hufflepuff in the whole hall.   
She took a quick look around till her eyes fell on a certain group of boys, the Marauders. 

Sirius instantly noticed the badger standing in the doorway and gave her hand signs to sit next to them. Norah smirked and headed straight to the group of boys.

"How was your first night at hogwarts?" James asked, with a wink. 

"Great, my roommate is nice and I think I'm gonna like it here." she answered while grabbing a blueberry muffin and a glass of orange juice.

"Arabella Goodwin, right?" Peter Pettigrew asked, and Norah could've sworn that she saw him blush a little. 

"Yes, she's very nice, I think we're gonna be great friends." she quickly responded, not wanting to make the shy blonde boy uncomfortable. 

"Where are you headed to so early, little one ?"  
Sirius was tipping her left rib with his right elbow, which made Norah flinch a little. 

She took a sip from her orange juice before she answered his question : "I actually wanted to read in the library before classes start. Why are you guys up so early,? Didn't think you were early birds." 

"You have to be up early to do great things, Norah."  
James replied, with a huge grin on his face. 

"I'm not really hungry, I'm gonna head to the library now. See ya later boys." and with that, Norah stood up and headed to library. 

She knew the library was off of a corridor in the first floor, because she let Arabella explain it to her yesterday. 

If someone would ask her what she was most excited about Hogwarts, her true answer, besides hopefully making some new friends, would be to see the library.   
She never told anyone though, they would think she would be boring. 

Norah always had a fascination with books, words , poetry, it was the most beautiful form of art. 

Her childhood wasn't exactly what you would call healthy or normal, books were the only way she could escape from her life. 

When she noticed that her thoughts started to drift away to her dark past, she immediately shook her head and reminded herself that she's okay, safe right now. 

She won't have to see her family again till at least December, maybe she could even talk herself out of it and stay during the winter holidays. 

Her thoughts seem to completely vanish when she saw the Hogwarts library.

Ten thousands of books, all kind of books, sat in huge dark wooden shelves.   
It has to be the greatest library she's ever seen, the badger girl thought. 

The library in Ilvermorny was big too, in fact it used to be her favorite place in the old school of hers, but it still couldn't compare to the size of the library in Hogwarts.

An old lady greeted her, which Norah assumed was the librarian Madame Pince, when she sat down with a book she grabbed out of the Muggle poetry section and began to read: 

"I wish I wrote the way I thought;   
Obsessively,  
Incessantly,  
With maddening hunger.  
I'd write to the point of suffocation.  
I'd write myself into nervous breakdowns,  
Manuscripts spiraling around like tentacles into abysmal  
nothing.  
And I'd write about you  
a lot more than I should."  
-Benedict Smith,   
I wish I wrote the way I thought

Norah loved to escape trough the words of poetry. She was what you definitely would call a hopeless romantic, only she's never been in love before. 

She used to date Eric Campbell in Ilvermorny but you couldn't call it love.

It only lasted for about two months, both of them were just curious, they kissed and made out a couple of times but nothing more happened, they also ended on good terms. 

There were two other boys she kissed and made out with on parties, but she never came closer to experience what other people would dared to describe as love besides Eric. 

However she still believed that one day she's gonna fall for someone, shakespearen kind of love, the question that bothered her more is if this person is gonna feel the same way about her.

It wasn't hard for her to imagine being in love with someone, she fell in love with things easily and all the time.

But she could never imagine someone falling in love with her, her dark past or even seeing her as the same person, knowing the truth about her family.   
After losing herself in her thought spiral for a few more minutes she felt weird, like someone was watching her. 

She slowly turned her head looking at the big clock on the wall, it was 7:40 am classes would start in about 20 minutes. 

Norah stood up and put the book back into the exact same spot she took it from when she realized who was looking at her, his dark brown eyes didn't even tried to hide his gaze. 

He noticed her yesterday staring at him in the hallways. 

He also found him self for some odd reason be a little upset about the fact the she didn't get sorted into Slytherin, he didn't even know her.   
Maybe because the way she looks, the Slytherin boy thought.  
Nobody could deny the fact that the badger girl is pretty, no that word isn't enough to describe her for him. Poetic, ethereal, beautiful.

Norah studied the eyes of the Black brother and thought about the conversation between James and Sirius yesterday : "Sirius left the family because they tried to marry him to his cousin! I know bloody disgusting! He was supposed to be the heir, now that his family disowned him, his poor brother Regulus is expected to be the Black family heir." 

"Stop calling Reggie poor. You act like he doesn't has a choice, also Potter you know damn well that he isn't answering any of my owls! He's just as bad as my parents I'm tellin' ya! Weird blood supremacists." Sirius replied angry, even if Norah could clearly see that he was hurt about the fact that his little brother won't talk to him. 

She wasn't sure what to think about the whole thing, could Sirius brother really be that brutal?

She broke the the intense eye contact with the boy and took another quick glance at the time, 7:50 am.

Noticing how late it was, the badger girl quickly left the library and headed to the dining hall hoping that she would find Arabella to show her where the different classrooms are.   
Even if she already knew her way around it would take her some time to get used to the big Hogwarts building with the huge constantly changing stairs. 

Luckily she could catch Ara right on time on the dining hall doorway. 

"There you are, thought I lost you. Now come let's go to transfiguration, Mcgonagall hates it when students are late." Ara said while grabbing Norah's arm.  
The badger girl was about to attend her first lesson at Hogwarts.


	7. Slug Club & Young Love

Norah quickly found out that she liked her schedule and her classes.   
The Time flew by pretty fast and the classes for the day were almost over. 

She got lucky with her schedule and got to sit next to Arabella in every class besides Potions, that's the only one in which they got separated.

Ara brought her to Professor Slughorn's classroom before heading to hers.  
"You got this just try to not overthink it and maybe you're even gonna make some new friends! Gotta go now, history of magic! Professor Binns is probably already waiting for me. See ya later!" the curly haired girl said,trying to cheer her anxious friend up, before turning around and blending into the other students in the hallway.

Norah was the first in the potions classroom, she took a seat in the first left row, trying to focus on the fact that she was rather good in potions and actually enjoyed it, it was a distracting subject. 

When her parents had one of their many fights again, she used to hide in the attic and read all of Dad's potions books. 

Quickly pushing the thoughts of her family in the back of her head, she pulled out her book, feather and quill till someone opened the door. 

The badger girl immediately stood up, ready to introduce herself. 

But when she looked up she surprisingly didn't face as expected the Professor. 

Her hazel orbs met his dark brown ones.

The young boy that stared at her this morning in the library was just as surprised as her to see the badger girl so early in the classroom. 

Both of them looked looked into each other's eyes, trying to find words till Regulus finally pulled himself together :   
"Hello, I think we haven't met yet, I am Regulus Arcturus Black and you are ?" 

"Norah, Norah Lumière. I'm the new girl from Ilvermorny, that's probably the reason we haven't been properly introduced yet." replied the girl, so smooth and confidently that she even surprised herself. 

The Slytherin boy sat down next to her, not even bothering to ask if it would be okay with her.   
"Maybe Sirius was right about him." Norah immediately thought. 

"Slughorn is always late that's the reason why no one's here yet." Regulus said, with the intention to maybe get to talk to the new girl a little more. 

"Oh, Okay, didn't know that. What are you doing here this early, if I may ask?" she didn't mend to add the question but for some reason she felt the strong urge to get to know him better. 

Regulus pointed at his chair and replied with a small almost non visible grin : "Got to make sure to have the best seats right?" 

But before Norah could say anything the other students and shortly after that the Professor finally arrived and both of them were forced to pay attention to the lesson.

It turned out Slughorn knew Norah's parents, which she wasn't quite sure about rather if it was a good or bad thing. 

The thing that she knew was that she didn't like how the Professor had to point out his surprise about the fact that she's been sorted into Hufflepuff, even though both of her parents been in Slytherin.

"Quite unusual", that's how the Professor described it. He also had to point out her father's "natural gift" in potions. 

Hearing her fathers name in which seemed to be such a beautiful and peaceful place made her flinch a little. 

"Nobody noticed." that's what she kept on telling herself and nobody seemed to, besides the boy next to her. 

He knew the frightened look in her eyes too well, but still didn't say anything.   
He realized how he liked looking at her, observing her, it weirdly calmed him down. 

Norah's knowledge in Potions even surprised Regulus.

She knew the answer to every question the Professor asked and if she wasn't busy answering the questions, she would simply ask new ones.

Slughorn asked Norah and Regulus to stay after class, both of them were obviously intimidated by the question but nodded. 

They waited for the other students to leave and made their way to the front desk, where the Professor was already waiting. 

"Yes, Sir what's the matter?", the Slytherin boy asked respectfully.

"Regulus, I think we all can agree, that Mrs.Lumière here obviously is qualified for the Slug Club, right?" the man had a bright smile on his face. 

"Uhm, Yeah, I suppose so Sir." Regulus was obviously nervous but secretly liked the idea of seeing the badger girl more besides this class.

Norah was standing next to both of them and seemed obviously confused. 

"Professor, what is the Slug Club if I may ask? she asked with a slightly concerned look in her eyes. 

The Professor quickly replied with a little chuckle : "I hold small gatherings for my most ambitious and talented students. I planned to invite you to our dinner on Friday and thought because you are new Mrs.Lumière, you and Mr.Black could attend together. I suppose you don't really know you're way around yet. We don't want her to get lost, now would we Regulus?"

"Of course not Sir." the boy replied, hiding a little smirk. 

Norah was still a little shocked but didn't want to seem rude so she accepted as well.

"Great! Now go and use your free time kids, see ya around!" and with that her and Regulus left the classroom. 

"He does that sometimes." Regulus said, not really knowing why he would want to continue talking her. 

Norah was already deep in on of her many thoughts when he interrupted her. 

"Uhm- What?" she was obviously surprised by the fact that the boy was still talking to her.

Regulus noticed her nervousness and chuckled a little.

"Slughorn likes to play Cupid between students. The man doesn't seem to have much of a personal life of his own. You don't have to go with me if you don't wan-", but before the boy could finish his sentence Norah already replied : "No it's okay, I actually prefer it. Just be in front of the Hufflepuff common room at 8." 

"Okay, i have to get going now, see you around." Regulus said, turning around, slowly disappearing into the big crowd in the hallways.

Norah decided to go to her dorm before heading to the great hall for dinner, right before entering the full dining hall she felt someone tapping her back. 

"There you are little one." 

Norah turned around chuckling, already knowing who it was. 

"Hey Sirius." the badger girl said with a smirk on her face. 

Next to Sirius were standing the rest of the Marauders, who where all smiling at her. 

Before any of them could say anything a girl in Gryffindor robes with red hair introduced herself to Norah : "You must be Norah Lumiére, the boys especially Sirius couldn't stop talking about you yesterday in the common room. You are really as pretty as he described you! You're from Ilvermorny right? That's so cool! Oh I'm Lily Evans by the way."

"Geez Evans let the poor girl breath!" Sirius was desperately trying to hide his little blush on his face. 

Norah rolled her eyes at Sirius comment and quickly responded to Lily : "Yeah, I'm Norah and you must be the girl James couldn't shut up about on the train ride yesterday." 

James was now clearly blushing as well and the rest of the Marauders were bursting into laughters.

"Can we go and eat now?" Peter interrupted, obviously hangry. 

"Wanna sit with us little one?" Sirius asked Norah with his signature flirty smile.

"Is it okay if Arabella joins us? I promised to eat dinner with her." Norah replied.

All of the Marauders agreed and already headed to their seats, while Norah picked her friend up from the Hufflepuff table. 

"YOU are friends with the Marauders?" the curly haired girl asked Norah , surprised about how her anxious and usually shy friend could talk to the probably most troubled group of the school. 

"Yeah I bumped into Sirius on the train and ended up in their compartment. They aren't as annoying as other people paint them, Ara." the new badger girl was obviously a little offended by her surprised look.

It turned out that the Marauders and Arabella actually get along pretty well, especially Peter Petigrew which made Norah smile.

"Is anyone of you in Slug Club?" the badger girl asked, hoping to not have to spend Friday night completely alone there. 

"Me, why? Are you in Slug Club now?" James replied while refilling his plate with mashed potatoes. 

"Yeah, I have to attend the dinner on Friday with Regulus- " but before she could even finish her sentence Sirius interrupted : "Regulus? My brother? How and why! You aren't going with him right? He's trouble Norah!" 

Norah tried to calm him down and explained : "I didn't asked him to go, neither did he. Slughorn just paired us up. I'm gonna go but don't worry it's gonna be just that one time and I'm sure it's gonna be fine. It's not like we're cuffed to each other."

"Yeah that man does that sometimes." Lily said while looking at James smiling. 

Professor Slughorn tried to play Cupid for them multiple times as well.

"Norah, I'm not over exaggerating when I say that my family- my old family is trouble. They are bad people, please be careful." 

Norah just nodded with a reassuring smile even if she secretly asked herself if Regulus was really as bad as his older brother made him out to be. 

He seemed so nice at class today. 

What she didn't realized is that at the exact same moment when she was thinking about the Slytherin boy, his dark brown eyes were already watching here from the other side of the room. 

He found himself getting angry at his brother, for sitting so close next to her.

"What's up mate?" Barty Crouch Jr. asked his obvious upset looking friend.

"Nothing, just tired the classes were boring today." he coldly responded.

"I have to get her out of my head, this can't happen." he thought, already heading back to his dorm. 

It's been a long exhausting day for him.

Norah spend the rest of the evening doing her homework and reading some more poetry. 

Arabella fell already asleep at 8:00 pm while Norah was laying in her bed, curtains closed, the bright shining wand in her left hand, helping her reading the lines.

Little Cottage  
By Virginia Wauchope Bass 

I know a little cottage   
Where everything's just right;  
The windows blooms with tulips  
At dusk there's candlelight.  
The knotted oak beside it   
Is webbed with ivy leaves,  
And honeysuckle tangles   
In clusters round the ears.

The friendly gate swings open   
Against a low stone wall   
Where quaint oldfashioned blossoms  
Design a Paisley shawl;  
And up the winding pathway   
The stones with moss are grown   
I love that little cottage   
Because it is my own!

She tried to absorb the words but couldn't concentrate anymore so she decided to go to bed early and put the book down.

What none of them knew was that at this night both of them fell asleep thinking of each other.


	8. The “Bragger” Dinner

The days till Friday went by and Norah quickly got used to the rhythm of the day, the classes were going great. 

She soon started to look forward to lunch and dinner with the Marauders, Ara and the other Gryffindor girls. 

Hogwarts finally started to feel like home. 

After her last class, Herbologoy with Professor Sprout, she decided to already head to her dorm to take a shower and get ready for the Slug Club. 

While changing into a short black dress and her favorite black heels, her mind couldn't stop thinking about Regulus. 

"I don't even know him." she kept on telling herself. 

What she didn't know is that in the Slytherin boy dormitory, Regulus was thinking about the badger girl as well. 

"It's nothing. I just have to sit trough to tonight." whispered the confused boy to himself in front of the mirror while putting his black button shirt on. 

"You look perfect Norah!" Ara complimented her obvious nervous friend. 

"I don't know. Maybe I'm just gonna stay here tonight. Why would Slughorn even want me there? The other students are so much more talented compared to me!" the new badger girl was starting to get anxious again.

"I know something that's gonna cheer you up!" Ara replied while searching in her drawer for something: "Got it!" 

She pulled out a silver necklace with rhinestones on it. 

"Ara, it's beautiful but I can't take it! What if I'm gonna lo-", but before Norah could end her sentence  
Ara cut the anxious girl off : "Norah Lumiére, you are the most careful witch I've ever met. I would trust you with my life and I know you for only 5 days! Take it i won't except a no and the necklace is gonna bring you luck. Now, hurry it's almost 8:00 pm." 

Ara helped Norah to put on the silver necklace before the badger girl made her way to the Hufflepuff common room door. 

She wasn't expecting Regulus on time but there he was. 

"He looks too handsome to be standing here with me" she thought. 

If she would only notice that the Slytherin boy was shocked by how beautiful she looked tonight. 

The black dress fitted in all the right places and the necklace helped somehow to make her already shining hazel eyes to look even more perfect.

"Hello." the boy had trouble to hide his smile. 

"Hi." the badger girl replied, obliviously nervous. 

They both were lost in each other's eyes, none of them moved for about three minutes but it felt like only seconds to them. 

"We should get going." the badger girl interrupted, finally breaking the silence between them.

The hallways were dark, the only light came from the full moon which was shining trough the big windows. 

Norah find her herself surprisingly liking the silence in the hallways and the fact that besides them only prefects were allowed to be wandering in the corridors of Hogwarts. 

While Norah was being absorbed by her thoughts again, the Slytherin boy was trying to fight the urge to talk to her but ended up giving in :  
"So both of your parents were in Slytherin?"

"Uhm.Yes they were." the badger girl responded, obliviously surprised by the fact that the boy was talking to her again. 

"How come you grew up in America and went to Ilvermorny then?" Regulus was tired of fighting the urge to talk to her. 

What's the worst thing that can happen?

"Well after my parents graduated here my dad ended up getting a job in the MACUSA." Norah stopped, quickly noticing Regulus confused looks, not knowing what MACUSA was. 

But before the boy could ask something she continued : "Magical Congress of the United States. The job offer was too good to be denied so right after my parents married they moved there and well...had me i guess. And let me already answer your next question, I don't know why I got sorted into Hufflepuff, guess I'm just different." 

Regulus was a bit surprised by her sudden boldness so he just nodded. 

Norah played with the thought of asking him about his brother but she knew that wouldn't be right so she decided to ask her about the Slug club :  
"So what are the Slug Club dinners about?" 

"Oh, usually a few students are basically just bragging about their extraordinary grades or Quidditch matches and if no one's busy bragging about how awesome they are Slughorn asks Questions." Regulus replied. 

"Questions?", the badger girl asked, slightly confused. 

Regulus smirked a little bit about her facial expression and explained : "Yes, like what ingredients are in certain potions and stuff like that. But I don't think you have to worry. If you're really as smart as in class the questions shouldn't be a problem for you." 

Norah blushed a little at the boys comment but quickly hid it because they were now standing in front of the door. 

"It's gonna be fine." whispered Regulus in her left ear before opening the door.

She suddenly felt goosebumps and butterflies in her stomach so she desperately tried to concentrate on the room in front of her.

On the table were sitting about 8 other students. 

Norah counted in her thoughts : "Two Ravenclaw girls, three Ravenclaw boys, one Slytherin girl, one Slytherin boy who was Barty Crouch Jr, she knew that because Sirius explained just yesterday at dinner how much of git he was. And James Potter." 

James smiled at her and pointed to the chair next to him, indicating to her to sit down, which the badger girl quickly did. 

Regulus took the last seat right across the table facing Norah. 

"Now that you all are here, I like to introduce you to our newest Member, Norah Lumiére! I'm sure it's gonna be another great year fulfilled with a lot of successes. I have to admit that I skipped lunch today so let's start the dinner." before Professor Slughorn even ended his sentence the whole table was decked with everything you could dream of.

The Dinner went just like Regulus described it. 

The Ravenclaw boys were bragging about their win against Hufflepuff, the girls about their extraordinary grades in DADA, James was talking about how great Quidditch practices were going and when nobody was talking about themselves the Professor would asks questions. 

Norah spend the dinner making a few comments, answering the questions, obviously every single one right, and fake laughing when Slughorn made one of his bad jokes. 

The Dinner was over before Norah could say Wingardium Leviosa which if she would be completely honest was thankful for . 

"I'm gonna owl you the date for our next dinner you all may leave now!" the Professor announced and with that the students stood up and started to leave. 

Norah was about to stand up when Slughorn started to interrupt her : "Wait I knew I forgot something! Mrs Lumiére and Mr Black i need to talk to you, if you don't mind." 

James rolled his eyes and tried to convince Norah to wait in the hallway to walk her back to her dorm but the badger girl assured him that she would be fine so he also made his way back to his dorm.

The Professor waited till the rest of the students left till he continued : "Me and the other teachers were talking about Mr Black's phenomenal grades when Professor Binns mentioned that it looked like you were failing Muggle History. So we thought because Mrs.Lumiére is extraordinary in that subject that she should be your tutor." 

"What is wrong with this old man, how am I supposed to stay away from him when he keeps doing this?"

Norah thought, trying to push the weird feelings she felt a few hours ago away.

Regulus and the badger girl tried desperately to explain to the Professor how regulus could ask someone else but Slughorn insisted so they ended up agreeing on it, so they could at least finally leave.

"He's ridiculous." Norah said, obliviously angry at the Professor's words. 

"Is it that bad to spend time with me, huh?" asked the Slytherin boy with an amused grin.

"No- No! That's not the problem. It's just ridiculous how he doesn't even care what we have to say about this." she replied, which was true but what upsets her more is the weird feelings she had around the boy. 

She couldn't afford to catch feeling for Sirius's brother it would be wrong.

"It's Slughorn what do you expect from a man who's highlight of the month is to listen to some jerks bragging about Quidditch." the boy jokingly said which made both of them laugh.

"Maybe it isn't going to be that bad, it's just helping out right? Helping people out is important, Right?"

She was convincing herself that the weird feeling is just her anxiety again.

After noticing how long they were standing in the dark hallways they switched to silence again. 

"Uhm- If you want I can walk you back to your common room. I heard what you said to Potter earlier but Hogwarts can be scar-" but before the boy could continue Norah already replied : "Yeah, sure." 

That dark hallways really turned out to be scarier than she thought. She was glad that she agreed.

After walking for a while Norah decided to break the silence : "So, are you going to the party in the Ravenclaw common room tomorrow ?" 

She just knew about the party because Sirius told her about it and also explained how Ravenclaw parties are the best because the smart students knew how to hide the "good stuff".   
Arabella also wouldn't shut up about it.

Regulus heard about the party from Barty Crouch Jr. but wasn't sure if he would go till now:

" Yes, I am. What about you?" 

"Yeah, Arabella said I shouldn't miss the first big   
Hogwarts party of the school year so I practically don't have choice." the girl replied noticing how she started to feel comfortable around the Slytherin boy. 

Both of the them were now standing in front of the Hufflepuff common room.

"Well, I guess I see you tomorrow then , Norah." and with that the boy turned around and disappeared into the dark hallway.

Norah was looking at the now empty place in front of her trying to figure out why she felt so weird and safe around him. 

After a few more minutes she said the password and made her way to her dorm. 

It was already 11:00 pm so she quickly changed into her yellow Pyjamas, brushed her teeth, laid down in her bed and fell asleep. 

The Slytherin boy on the other hand was laying awake in his bed thinking about her shiny long brown her and how pretty she looked tonight. 

"I have to get her out of my head." he whispered to himself before he finally drifted away into a deep sleep.


	9. The Starry Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> {tw: abusive household, alcohol and drug use}

"Morning sleepyhead." Norah said, while throwing a pillow at Ara's head. 

"Just ten more minutes!" Arabella begged, in hopes that her friend would just go alone to breakfast so she could just sleep a little longer. 

"No way! It's already 11 am wake up!" Norah was obliviously annoyed because she knew all the good food would be gone by now.

"Ugghhh! Fine."and with that the curly haired girl finally stood up from her bed and headed to the shower. 

After Ara got ready they both headed to the Great hall but like Norah predicted most of the good food was already gone.   
Arabella ended up eating the last bowl of oatmeal because Norah insisted of taking it, so she ended up only eating a green apple.

Before the Ravenclaw party tonight the girls sat a few hours in the library doing homework and learning for their classes. 

The girls were about to stand up and finally leave but someone interrupted them :   
" I suppose you both are going to the party tonight?"   
Sirius asked with his signature smirk on his face. 

"Yes, but don't get your hopes up Sirius. I'm probably not gonna stay for too long. I'm just going because this girl next to me won't let me stay in my bed reading.", the badger girl was giggling and pointing next to her friend Ara.

"Well see you girls there then!" after that sentence the handsome boy disappeared again.

The Party would start at 8:00 pm so the girls had still plenty of time.   
Norah was reading in their dorm while Ara was taking a nap again.

Italy. Summer 1965  
peach & honey in the air. ice-cream cones on the pavement, windows flung wide-open, an orchard of apricot trees with wind-chime breeze trough the leaves & branches shimmering with heat-haze. there's a timeless oil-painting or polaroid-worn-away-at-the-edges kind of beauty about this dream, & you paint-spattered camera flash on your skin, you & you, & you.

I want to life like this forever. 

always reaching for each other but never quite touching.   
light bathing the marble-skin of your back, muscles ripping the way the river flows, softly, urgent.  
call it love, call it anything you want.  
in this life, it starts raining the second we say each other's names/ in the next, the world stops breathing right before we kiss for the first time/ in another, we jump into the river at dawn and never come up for air.  
\- J.T

Norah lost herself completely in the beauty of those words written on the page but she still couldn't help it but think if someone would ever write about her.   
"Probably not, there's not much to write about." the badger girl thought before taking a quick look at the time. 

"Ara it's seven wake up, we need to get ready!" yelled the girl while pulling the blanket of her friends bed.   
Arabella rolled her eyes, slowly got up and pulled two dresses out her honey wooden closet.  
"We're gonna wear this!" announced the curly head, handing Norah a short dark green satin dress. 

"It's pretty, but not on me." Norah immediately thought but before she could deny it her friend interrupted her thoughts, seeming to be able to read her mind.  
"It's gonna look great on you, now let's get ready!", Ara said so enthusiastically that Norah couldn't bare to say no.   
The Hufflepuff girls did their make up while listening to Fleetwood Mac and even Norah slowly started to be excited about her first Hogwarts party.   
At 8:30 pm the girls made their way to the Ravenclaw common room.   
The hallways were empty and the girls were lucky enough to not stumble across any teachers or prefincts. 

In front of the Ravenclaw common room door a tall boy with messy long blond, almost white looking hair was greeting them :   
"Hello Ara and- oh I believe we haven't met yet I'm Xenophilius Lovegood and you pretty lady are?"

Norah was now clearly blushing at the boy's compliment and replied with a nervous smile.  
" I- I am Norah Lumiére and no we haven't met yet because i'm new."

"Well Mrs.Lumiére I hope you enjoy the party." Xenophilius had a flirty smile on his face, while opening the common room door for the girls.

"I'm gonna get us some drinks." Ara announced, turning around and leaving not even waiting for a answer of her friend 

Norah was now standing alone in the corner taking a look around the big room.

The ceiling was changing colors every few minutes and it looked like they removed most of the furniture, only a few couches and tables were standing next to the space which was used as a dance floor. The few tables were filled with all sorts of beverages and snacks and loud music was playing even if Norah couldn't quite figure out from where.

"I look like an idiot I should've stayed home." the badger girl thought, slowly starting to get anxious again. 

She used to go to a lot of parties, the ones at Ilvermorny and a few muggle ones.   
Norah even had some let's just use the word interesting, experience with alcohol and drugs.   
The badger girl tried to like the feeling drugs gave her but she always ended up being stuck in one of her never ending, depressing thought spirals.

Ara finally came back, handing her friend a red cup, already looking like she had something.   
"What's in it?" Norah asked while putting the cup against her nose, which turned to be a mistake cause it smelled truly awful. 

The curly haired girl giggled and replied : " Just drink it! It's some new mixture the Ravenclaws were working on. It supposed to have the same effect like 10 cups!!"

Norah's eyes widened, she knew that alcohol from the wizard world tend to be a little stronger, but never heard of such thing. 

"Just drink it, it's gonna be fine, let's have some fuuuunnnn!!" Ara obviously was starting to be drunk.

Norah deep down knew that it probably would be a bad idea but did it anyways. 

"Ah okay , let's have some fun I guess." the badger girl said before drinking her whole cup in one sip. 

It turned out Norah was right she shouldn't have drunken the whole cup.

After one hour on the dance floor the girl noticed her mood change, her mind started to drift off to a dark place. 

"Ara, I'm gonna sit down." Norah announced, not waiting for an answer of her friend,   
the world was spinning now. 

"What did you think is gonna happen? Alcohol was never a good idea? You're so fucking stupid you know that right. Nobody in that room really likes you for being you, it's just a an act they play.",  
she thought, but before the girl could continue her intrusive thoughts someone interrupted her. 

"Not in the mood to dance anymore, huh?"   
the Slytherin boy asked, acting like he didn't wait wait for her to be alone.   
He was watching her dancing from the corner since he got here.

"No, not really." she replied, normally she would try to hide her depressing state of mind but she was too out of it which Regulus quickly noticed. 

"What's wrong?" he asked, now secretly being a little worried about her.

"Uhm, I don't know guess I had too much to drink or something." she answered it was pretty oblivious that she was lying but it's not like she could tell him how her mind wouldn't stop thinking about her father. 

*flashback to her home when she was 13*

" Your nothing Norah. You do as I say." the obvious stronger and taller man, who she sadly has to call dad said while grabbing her left arm and slamming her into the wall. 

The young girl was now sitting in the corner, trying to hold in her tears, 

"it would only made him angrier." she thought.

And she was right.

Her father was noticing her tears and was about to slap her again when she hold two arms in front her face to defend herself. 

"Please Dad, let me just go to my friend's I promise to not-"   
and before the girl could end her sentence another slap. 

"Bu-", and another.

She was trying so hard not to cry but she couldn't hold it in anymore, she started sobbing while sinking into the cold marble floor.

The young girl was just laying there now, completely quiet, praying if there was something like a god to safe her from all this pain and suffering, end it.

But it didn't, her father was grabbing her again :   
"You do like I told you, understand me now. You're not gonna go anywhere the next months." 

Her Dad was back again, normally he was "traveling" but everyone knows that was just a weak lie to cheat on her mother.   
But she wasn't sorry anymore for her mother, too often was the woman just standing next to her father, watching everything he did to her daughter, not saying anything.

She was too tired of it, her entire body was numb so she just nodded as reply.

Her eyes looked so empty, no emotions, no fear, just emptiness. 

*flashback ends* 

Regulus noticed the change in her eyes, it was something he never seen before but on his brother and himself.

The Slytherin also had something to drink, because he probably would've never dared to ask her this if he didn't :   
"Do you wanna go somewhere else? I know a place." 

Her thoughts were so loud, the music so draining and the people so overwhelming. 

"Yes. Let's go." the badger girl replied and walked out of the party, behind her Regulus who still seemed surprised by her answer. 

"So, where are we going?" Norah asked while watching her feet, trying to not trip over them.

The world was spinning around her. 

"You will see." 

They were now both standing in front of a black stair way when Regulus noticed how out of it the badger girl really was. 

"Are you okay?"

Norah had trouble standing by herself, her legs felt like pudding.

"Yeah, it's, it's just. I don't. Uhm."

Regulus couldn't stop himself from chuckling a little, he thought it was cute how she felt the need to hide how drunk she really was. 

"You drunk the stuff from the Ravenclaw's right? It's way too strong and Merlin knows what they put into it. You shouldn't accept drinks from them next time." 

The badger girl was surprised by the boy's voice tone it sounded almost caring. 

"Yes, noted for the next time." 

Norah was trying to make the first step up the stairs but she already almost tripped.

"You need help?"

She wasn't sure how the boy would help her and she probably wouldn't agreed to this either if she wasn't so drunk right now but she still whispered a small :

"Yes." 

Regulus nervously put both of his hands around her waist as support. 

"Is that ok?" 

And she whispered again:

"Yes."

It was easier now with his strong hands around her and she would be lying if she said that she didn't like the feeling of him being so close. 

She wasn't the only one with these thoughts

The boy couldn't remember the last he felt this comfortable and safe around someone, like he doesn't have to hide anything. 

Both of them secretly wished that the staircase would never end and that the both of them would just have to walk this close forever. 

But it did and Regulus pulled his hands away from her. 

The view of the stars that night was breathtaking, thousands of small shining lights on the almost pitch black sky.

"I love stargazing.",  
Norah was now laying on her back admiring the beautiful night sky.

"Why?"

Regulus immediately did the same.

"Everything I am constantly worried and scared of seems so small. Like I'm nothing, for a few seconds I feel.... free."

The Slytherin boy eyes were admiring her effortless, beautiful side profile.

And suddenly he had this feeling, this thought he hadn't had for a while:

"Maybe, just maybe, everything could be fine."

He had hope.

Norah slowly and cautiously tilted her head till they locked eyes.

Her hazel orbs stole his words away.

It felt like time didn't exist. 

No problems, no family hierarchy, no homework, 

just them. 

Till the dark thoughts overcame Norah again. 

" I am sorry." the badger girl said not looking away. 

"For what?" 

"That you are stuck here with me."

"What makes you think that I don't wanna be here?"

"You're quiet."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No."

Regulus moved his head closer to hers before whispering,

"What do you want me to say?"

His voice was sending chills down her spine. 

"What is your biggest fear?"

He chuckled.

"I don't have one."

"Everyone has one."

"What your's then?"

Now it was her turn to chuckle.

She was smirking.  
But regulus didn't like it, it was different,   
bitter sweet.

"Everything." 

"Everything?"

"Yes. Sometimes, you know, it feels like I'm surrounded by this huge pitch darkness."

"I am sorry Norah." 

"You don't have to be, it's not your fault."

"I believe if more people would've said that to you, you wouldn't feel that way.   
So yes, I am. I am truly sorry."

Both of them suddenly realized how dangerously close their faces were.

"Why are you here?"

Regulus raised an eyebrow, surprised bye the question.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"What?"

Their hearts beat was equally racing faster.

"Why are you listening to me?"

She didn't realize how truly emotional she was till a small tear rolled down her cheek.

It killed him, seeing her like this.

He slowly and carefully wiped the tear of her cheek.

"I don't know. I really don't. You are the first person I like to listen to."

The Slytherin boy surprised himself by his honesty.  
He was catching himself being tired of trying to act like he wanted to hide from her.

Norah was blushing and thought that this must be some kind of dream.  
There's no way he could feel this too right?

But he did,   
he hated it,   
but he did. 

Even if the were only laying a few centimeters apart it still felt too far away for him.

The Badger girl moved her head even closer.

He could feel her warm breath.

She felt a way she never felt before.  
He made her crave things she never wanted before, she read about it or maybe even fantasized about it but never dared to believe it would be happening to her. 

This weak feeling.   
The most beautiful weakness she ever felt.

The boy couldn't help himself but lower his sight to take a quick look at her rose lips.

She was moving even closer, their noses millimeters away from touching.

Both of them were heavy breathing, desperately trying to not give in.

The badger girl couldn't handle it anymore and was slowly moving her head till he stopped her:  
"The problem is" he said looking at her lips, "if I kissed you, I don't think I'd be able to stop."

"Then don't sto-"

And before she could finish his lips met hers.

First it was a slow kiss like they were trying to picture the moment but it quickly turned into a heated and passionate one.

"This is it." she thought.  
"This is what I've been missing."   
And for the first time she felt complete. 

He completely gave in, slowly leaning on top of her.

They were laying like this, forgetting about everything under that beautiful dark night sky till dawn and the sun was bringing them back into their reality.

If they only knew what that silly seeming night would start.


	10. ~

Possibility of Love 

Yes, I think it is entirely possible to fall in love with someone you've never met. Physicality is an expression of intimacy- not an indication of it.  
-Lang Leav


	11. Hogwarts own Shakespearen Story

"Wake up!"  
Norah's head was buried in her pillow desperately trying to get more of her distraction sleep. 

"It's 1 pm! Oh Merlin where did you end up yesterday? I don't even remember who brought me back here." Ara said way too loud in Norah's opinion.

What the curly haired girl didn't knew was that Peter sneaked her safely under the invisible cloak back into her dorm room. 

Norah realized that it was pointless and that she somehow has to face the things that happened yesterday. 

"Uhm I don't know either. I'm gonna take a quick shower, see ya in the great hall."

It was obviously a lie, she remembered everything.  
Regulus brought her back, they even hold hands.

Before her friend could even process her words she already vanished into their bathroom. 

Norah still tried to push her thoughts and the events into the back of her head, she really needed this shower.  
She put her black skirt and a grey sweater with her house crest on.  
The repression of her thoughts was working till she took a glance into the big golden mirror in front of her.

The badger girl slowly touched her still puffy, red lips and realized what happened. 

"I kissed Regulus Arcturus Black." 

Her eyes widened by her thought and her anxiety finally overcame her. 

It hit her again.

"I kissed Regulus Arcturus Black and hold his hand."

After that thought her mind chased one after another: 

" I know him for 2 weeks."

"Oh My God. What about Sirius?"

"How am I supposed to sit next to him in class on Monday?"

"No. No. I am going to see him in the hall." 

"Why did he agreed to this?" 

She was silently standing and starring into the mirror, loosing herself in her thought spiral over and over again.

Norah thought it couldn't hit her harder but she realized something.   
Something dangerous and something that she was frightened of.

She didn't regret it

And on the second thought she catches herself wanting to be close to him again. 

She knew him for only 2 weeks and some would consider them to be strangers but the badger girl felt like he knew him forever. 

She had absolutely no idea what she is going to do about it. 

And Norah was certainly not the only one who was scared and confused.

Regulus stayed up the rest of the "night", more like morning hours, desperately trying to figure out what he would say to her or what they were.

If they were even considered something.

The Slytherin boy kept on telling himself that he needed to stay away from her.

But how could he?

If he closes his eyes he could still feel her sweet lips on his.

After staring too long into the mirror and realizing how much time has passed the Badger girl quickly made her way to the great hall.

"It was Saturday and already 2 pm so most of the students probably already had their lunch."   
she repeated that thought over and over again. 

Norah sat down next to her obvious hungover looking friends and took a quick glance at the Slytherin table.

"Where were you yesterday, I u-uhm I mean we were all worried."  
Sirius asked the Hufflepuff girl filled with curiosity.

"Oh. I didn't feel well and my social battery ran out, so I ended up reading in the astronomy tower." 

Norah tried to push the events to the back of her head.

Sirius would probably kill his brother.

"Reading?"   
Arabella interrupted obviously not buying her friends story.

"Yes reading."

"We had the exact same thing to drink, I could barely stand by myself. How did you manage to get on the astronomy tower, with a book and...read?"

Arabella was tired of her lies, something is up and she knew it.  
Her friend was acting weird the whole morning.

James and Peter were amusingly watching while Remus stuffed his mouth with another bacon sandwich.

"Well, looks like I just have a higher tolerance than you and by the way it really didn't seemed like any of you really cared about my presence. And since  
when do I have to justify myself in front you?"

Norah didn't mend to sound so harsh but she was already confused and tired about the thoughts of Regulus, everything just felt like too much.

After seeing that girls face expression even Ara regretted her questions.

"Hey little one, what's up with you?"  
Sirius put his hand on the girl's shoulder in attempt to comfort her.

Norah immediately snapped his hand back off and responded:  
" I am just tired. Hey, I'm gonna go and get some fresh air. See ya!"

And before anyone could ask some more annoying questions she was gone.

During this whole drama Regulus joined his table and observed the whole situation.   
He waited a couple of seconds till Norah vanished trough the door till he disinterestedly said to his friend Barty crouch jr. :  
"I need to do something see you later in the common room." 

Regulus waited till he stepped out of the door and was out of sight till he sped up his walking pace.

He didn't knew why he was doing this but not being near her was torture. 

The Slytherin boy had no clue where she was going he just had this feeling so he went along with it.

After a short walk he saw the outline of the badger girl, sitting in front of the black lake both arms wrapped around her in his eyes perfect looking legs. 

Norah secretly hoped he was coming.

"Are you stalking me now?",  
She tried to hide a smirk while turning her head around.

Regulus gave her a small grin and sat down next to her.

Both of them were staring into the black lake and enjoyed the comfortable silence between them.   
Soon they had to talk and it would be gone. 

Norah always thought that this was so much more intimate, seeing the same thing. 

She didn't know what he was thinking. 

Or what they were. 

But right now he was seeing the same thing as her and she found comfort in that.

After about 20 minutes she decided to break the silence:

"Regulus?"

Hearing her saying his name gave him chills. 

He never liked his name, it never felt like his, always connected to his family.   
But her voice made it sounds like the most beautiful poem he had ever heard. 

"Yes?"

She took a deep breath before continuing:

"What are we?"

"I don't know."

Norah was supposed to hate him, she was supposed to be angry or maybe even disgusted by the way Sirius and the other Marauders described him. 

But she wasn't.

And she couldn't do anything about it, no one could change the way she felt about him.

Drawn to him, like he was a magnet.

Regulus continued:

"Look I don't know what this is or what that yesterday was. And I can understand if you regret it and ne-"

The Badger girl didn't mean to interrupt him but she wouldn't let him believe that she didn't wanted it as much he did.

"Regulus, I don't regret it."

She turned her head to the side and searched for his eyes.

And quickly they found each other's.

"You didn't?"

"Why would I? Do you? I would understand if you do."

She shamefully looked back to the lake again.

"Well, I don't."

He moved his hand slowly closer to hers.  
Norah noticed it and did the same till their met.

"I am scared."

Regulus was surprised by her sudden vulnerability.

"Of me?", saying these words hurt him more than he would like to admit.

"No-No never. I mean of this."

Silence filled the air and they were looking in each other's eyes again.  
They said nothing, but it was that kind of nothing that meant everything.

From that moment she knew,   
he knew,   
they knew.

And they knew it was wrong and would end how it would end up in chaos, but it didn't matter as long they would be in that chaos together.

Regulus leaned forward and forced the badger girl gently to look at him by holding her chin.

Norah took a deep breath before softly and with a certain tone of anxiety saying: 

"I never knew what I wanted. I'm not sure if I even fully know you, Regulus.   
But I just know one thing for sure, I want to be with you. Every second I am not I don't feel like myself ." 

Her heartbeat felt so fast that she was sure that it would explode in that very second. 

On the other side, that's all what the Slytherin Boy wanted to hear. 

She wanted to be with him, that was more than enough.

He slowly leaned forward closing the little space between them before carefully whispering in her ear:

"My only love sprung from my only hate.   
Too early seen unknown, and known too late.  
Prodigious birth of love it is to me, That I must love a loathed enemy."

Norah blushed and giggled a little.

"Did you really just quote Romeo and Juliet?"

"You're not the only one who likes to read darling."

And after these words her lips finally met his and time stopped again. 

They both weren't sure if they had dreamed this moment to life but there was raw emotion in the way his fingers curled around hers.  
Regulus kept his eyes half open, sneaking a guilty peek at her every time he came back up for air.

He still wasn't sure if this was some sort of product of his own imagination or if his mind tricked him into a perfect present but every breath he took smelled like Norah and for the first time in his life he felt like he was home.

The Badger's girl whole body was tingling, the feeling of his frame leaning on hers as his arms wrapped around her waist nearly felt forbidden, because deep down she knew it was.

Hogwarts new born Romeo and Juliet spend the rest of the Day at the lake, distracting themselves from all the things that were about to come.


End file.
